Solenoid-operated valve



Aug. 5, 1930. L. w. EGGLESTON 1,772,443 SOLENOID OPERATED VALVE v Filed Feb. 21, 1927 Ah rh P I n 4 is i v $1! Q; 36 fi: 37 36 E4 8) I V NTOR I law, wng g g etented Aug, 5, 1;-

LEWIS W. EGGLESTON, 01 CLARENCE TOWNSHIP, ERIE COUNTY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGBI TO AMERICAN RADIATOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, ELY A CORPORATION F NEW SOLENOID-OPERATED VALVE Application filed February 21, 1927. Serial No. 170,052.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in solenoid operated valves, and more particularly to valves of this type which may be employed in control systems for oil burners and the like.

An object of my invention is to construct a valve of the electrically Operated type which is eilicient in operation.

Another object is to provide an electrically operated valve of simple construction.

A further object is to provide means to hold said valve open upon a failure oi electric current, or independently of the electrical means.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of my improved solenoid valve, and

Fig. 2 is a detail of the valve locking means.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designates the valve casing having threaded inletand outlet openings for insertion of the casing in a fluid conveying conduit (not shown). Within the casin-g'l is a web or partition 2 having an opening or port 2 therethrough, which is provided with a valve seat 3. Upon casing 1 and concentric with opening 2 is a flange or hollow boss 4, in which is screw-threaded a plug or base member 5 having an aperture 6 in axial alignment with the opening 2. Externally threaded, or otherwise secured on the base member 5, is a hollow casing 7, preferably cylindrical in form, which is closed at its upper end by a cover 8 in threaded engagement therewith, as at 9. Supported on base member 5 is an annular block 10 having a peripheral flange 11 and a radial slot 12, which slot is engaged by a lug 13 on the casing 7 to fix the casing 7 and block 10in relative position. Carried by the block 10 is a solenoid coil 14 having suitable insulating material 15 between it and the block-10. Within the coil 14 is a guide sleeve 16 having a circumferential recess forming a flange 17 which overlies and engages the insulation 15 to lock it against the block 10 and flange 11. The

sleeve 16 is similarly recessed at its upper end to form a flange 18 in the plane of the upper end of the coil 14. Suitable insulation 19 overlies the top of the coil 14 and flange 18, and is clamped in position by a laterally proj ecting flange 20 on sleeve 16. Preferably formed integral with cover 8 is a centrally positioned hollow open boss 21 which extends downwardly into the sleeve 16, and which has a shoulder 22 abutting the laterally projecting flange 20 to press sleeve 16 against block 10. Electric lead wires 23, 24 connected to the coil 14 are preferably led in through an opening 25 in one side of cover 8.

Within sleeve 16 is a reciprocable armature core 26 having sockets 27, 28 in its opposite ends. Keyed or otherwise locked in these sockets 27,28, are, respectively, a valve stem 29 and an operating rod 30. Stem 29 extends through aperture 6 and carries at its lower end a valve head-31 which is adapted to engage the seat 3 when the solenoid is de-.

energized. The operating rod passes through hollow boss 21 and a suitable guide bushing 32 therein and beyond the cover 8. Carried by rod 30, as by a shoulder 33, is a spring supporting plate or disc 34 for a spring 35, preferably helical in form. 'Witln in the boss 21 is an adjustable annular stop plate 36 having a central aperture 36*, and having threaded engagement with the inner Wall of the boss 21. A set screw 37 may be employed to lock the plate 36 in adjusted position above spring 35. The upper 'face of plate 36 has a bead 38 around its inner periphe'ry.

At the top of rod 30 is a catch 39 preferably formed ofresilient material, which has substantially parallel arms 40, 41, joined by a fingerengaging part 42, and having a leg 43 which normally is held against the rod 30 by the resiliency of the material, and which extends downwardly from arm 41. The catch 39 preferably fits over rod 30 with arm 40 being clamped between nuts 44, 44, and

lateral movement of leg 43 is permitted by a longitudinal slot 41 in arm 41. The open top end of boss 21 is closed by a cap which is threaded thereinto so that it may readily be removed for access to the catch 39.

In operation, the solenoid when energized will lift the armature core 26 in sleeve 16 and valve head 31 from its seat 3, and will continue to hold the valve open as long as the solenoid is energized. Upon a cessation of current-the weight of core 26 will close the valve by gravity. If it is desired to maintain the valve in open position, irrespective of the action of the solenoid, as, for instance, upon failure of electric current from the source of supply, it may be done in the following manner: The cap 45 is removed, the end of rod 30 is grasped and pulled upwardly until the free lower end of catch 39 is above bead 38, when the valve will be substantially threefourths full open; pressure, as by the thumb or finger, is now exerted upon the part 42 to force the leg 43 laterally to a position above the annular plate 36, when the rod 30 is released to permit the end of leg 43 to contact and be supported by plate 36, as shown in Fig. 2. Spring 35 will hold leg 43 in contact with plate 36 and prevent it from riding over bead 38, against which it'is urged by the resiliency of catch 39. Cap 45 may then be replaced, and when current is again passed through the solenoid, the core 26 will be raised to its full height and leg 43 will be raised above bead 38, so that the leg will snap back against rod 30. In this position of leg 43 which is normal, the valve may open and close freely with leg 43 riding through the central aperture 36 in annular plate or abutment 36.

I do not wish tolimit myself to the use of a solenoid for opening the valve, as other electrically energized means, such as an electric motor, may be employed as an equivalent.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let-. ters Patent of the United States is 1. In a device of the character described, a valve normally tending to close, motor means operatively connected to said valve and adapted when energized to open said valve, 21 support, resilient catch means on said valve normally inoperative and permitting free movement of said valve to open and closed positions and adapted to engage said support to hold said valve in open position, and means on said support to retain said catch means in engagement with said support.

2. In a device of the character described, a valve casing having a port, a valve in said casing adapted to close said port, said valve having a stem, said casing having an abutment, resilient catch means carried by said stem adjacent said abutment, and manually operable means to move said catch meansinto engagement with said abutment to hold said va ve from its port.

3. In a device of thecharacter described, 'a casin having a port, a valve in said casing adapted to close said port, electrically operated means operatively connected to said valve to open said port, said casing having an abutment, a stem for-said valve projecting beyond said abutment, catch means carried by said stem and normally out of contact wit said abutment and extending *substantially parallel'with said stem, and manual means to move said catch means out of parallelism with said stem and into overlying engagement with said abutment.

4. In a device of the character described, a casing havinga ort, a valve in said casing adapted to close said port, said .valve having a stem, electrically controlled means operative on said stem to move said valve to uncover said port, said casing having an abutment, a catch carried by said stem adjacent to and out of contact with said abutment said catch normally tending to move out 0 contact with said abutment, and means to move said catch into enga ement with said abutment to hold said va ve in position to maintain. said port uncovered, said catch being released from engagement with said abutment upon operation of said electrically controlled means to uncoversaid port.

5. In a device of the character described, a valve adapted to seat b avity, a core operatively connected to saif value, a solenoid coil surrounding 1 said core to actuate said core upon energlzation to unseat said valve, a support, and a resilient catch on said core adapted to be manually moved to engage said support to maintain said valve in unseated position.

6. In a device of the character described, a valve, a casing carried by said valve and having an open end, a solenoid in said casing, a cover overlying said casing, said solenoid having a core projecting through said cover,

means operatively connecting said core and said valve, and a catch normally ino erative and fixed to said core outside of sai casing, said catch being manually operable to engage said cover to hold said valve in open position, and being released from engagement with said cover upon energization of said solenoid.

7. In a device of the character described,

a valve, a solenoid connected to said valve and adapted to open said valve, a casing surrounding said solenoid, a cover on said casing having a hollow boss, an annular plate within said hollow boss, means carried by said valve projecting through said annular plate, a movable catch fixed to said means and adapted to be moved into overlying engagement with said plate to hold said valve in open position and means to'main't-ain said catch and said plate in engagement.

7 member fixed on sai 8. In a device of the character described, a valve casing havin a valve seat, a base casing and having a guide aperture in alignment. with said seat, a valve in the casing adapted to cooperate with said seat and having a stem supported in said guide aperture, a solenoid casing on said base member, a solenoid coil within said solenoid casing and supported by said base member, a uide sleeve within said coil, a cover for said solenoid casing having a hollow boss extending downwardly within said sleeve, an armature core slidable within said sleeve and connected to said valve stem, a rod fixed on said core and extending upwardly through said hollow boss, an annular plate surrounding said rod and fixed in said hollow boss, and catch means fixed on the end of said rod and normally inoperative and adapted to overlie said annular plate.

9. In a device of the character described, a valve casing having a valve seat, a base member fixed on said casing and having a guide aperture in alignment with said seat, a valve in the casing adapted to cooperate with said seatand having a stem supported in said guide aperture, a solenoid casing on said base member, a solenoid coil within said solenoid casing and supported by said base member, a guide sleeve within said coil, a cover for said solenoid casin having a hollow boss extending downwar y within said sleeve, an armature core slidable within said sleeve and connected to said valve stem, a rod fixed on said core and extending upwardly through said hollow boss, an annular pllate surroundingsaid rod and fixed in said ollow boss, resihent catch means fixed on the free end of said rod and adapted to overlie said annular plate, a retainin bead on said plate for said catch means, an means to revent said catch means from overriding said bead.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a ort, a valve normally closing said port, sai casing having an abutment, a resilent catch means carried by said valve adapted to be moved into overlying engagement with said abutment upon opening of said valve to hold said valve in open position, and means resisting the resilience of said catch means to prevent disengagement of said catch-means and said abutment.

11. A device of the character described, comprising a? casing having a port, a valve normally closing said port, saidcasing having an abutment, a resilient catch means carried by said valve adapted to be moved into overlying engagement with said abutment upon opening of said valve to hold said valve in open position, means resisting the resilience of said catch means to prevent disengagement of said catch means and said abutment, and means urging said catch means" into engagement with said abutment.

12. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a port, 'a valve adapted to close said port, said valve having a valve stem projecting through an aperture in said casing, and laterally' movable catch means carried by said valve stem and extending into said aperture when said valve is closed, said catch means being movable into overlying engagement with said casin when said valve is open to maintain sai valve in open position.

13. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a port, a valve adapted to close said port, said valve having a valve stem projecting through an aperture in said casing, and laterally movable resilient catch means having one end fixed to said valve stem and having its other free end extending into said aperture when said valve is closed, the free end of said catch means being laterally flexible into overlying engagement with said casing when said valve is open to maintain said valve in open position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

LEWIS W. EGGLESTON. 

